I passed my final exam to become a certified teacher. I got a 288 out of a possible 300. I don’t really know what that number means, but out of 90 questions, I missed a grand total of 5. I know. I’m a genius. So what does this all mean?

It means that as soon as I finish my CTE (student teaching), I will be a bonafide, certified teacher. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean much these days. Becoming a teacher has really opened my eyes to how our state, country, and culture all treat education. Before becoming a teacher, I didn’t see what the big deal was. Schools were schools, and it was just something you had to do. But now, now I realize that the children really are our future. I’ve always been a planner, so you’d think I would’ve already figured that out, I think maybe I just assumed it was the responsibility of the children, and their parents, that they become good citizens. I still think it is, but now I realize just how many parents don’t agree, and we’re left with the educational system holding the bag. If our culture is going to leave the education, and the raising of our youth up to the educational system, then our culture should be willing to provide the resources needed to do so.

But we don’t. Instead, we have accepted the Wal-Mart mentality – Expect more, Pay less. Maybe that’s not Wal-Mart, but you’ve heard it before. But education is not one of those things you can cheap out on, not when so much is at stake. You may not care so much for the future of the kids, but I bet you care about your own future. Uneducated masses are easily led astray. They are easy prey for politicians, and with enough hype, they might even get out and vote.

But immediately, for me, our culture is cutting funding, and I won’t get a job in the foreseeable future. My favorite quote? From my own Governor – who incidentally looks like the Evil Prince Humperdink – said “I am not responsible for the hiring and firing of teachers. I’m leaving that decision up to the individual school districts.” Gee, Mister Governor, you are the one that controls the budgets, and holds the purse strings. You are the one that cuts taxes for corporations, the very same taxes that fund our educational system.